nowhere to run from this

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

The players: Zhao and Majima
The scenario: Mythverse. New players come to town and disturb the peace. Majima and Zhao have to deal with the trouble and figure out what these Hunters are up to.
The setting: Ijincho, Yokohama.
Any warnings: Likely cursing and violence. Possibly more later. TBA

There was something going on in the city. Recent rumors of figures taking action that this part of the city hadn't seen in some time. Disappearances that seemed unlikely. Whispers that there was change coming.

No one had asked his permission for this shit. It was against the rules. And there weren't that many to follow so it was stupid to fight against them.

It led to Zhao being on edge without much warning to his friends that didn't know about his other life. His poor human friends that didn't know his secret of not being human, too. He knew he'd gone too far when Han told him off after a particular joke that in hindsight hadn't been very joking at all. It had been a bit too cruel. His apology felt hollow and everyone knew it. He didn't join them for the last of the night's group activity, instead excusing himself and heading home.

He didn't see them for the next few days. He didn't answer Kasuga-kun's texts inviting him to various activities. He ignored most things that weren't either Liumang related or supernatural in nature. The latter was what had him worried.

Especially one night after the clock chimed midnight and Zhao found himself awake in an empty bed. Not unusual. But he was feeling restless and so he got up to walk around the apartment area on the top floor. He found no sign of his recent guest. This was also not that unusual. The Mad Dog was prone to wandering at any time of the day or night. Zhao didn't worry about it normally because he knew that Majima was tough and capable, and that eventually he always made his way back here. He hadn't left Yokohama yet despite a few awkward moments.

But tonight things were different. Zhao felt uneasy. The strange disappearances throughout the city were focused on one thing: supernatural entities. Majima was a supernatural entity. He was missing. Zhao couldn't help the feeling of dread bubbling in the pit of his stomach. He paced angrily like a caged predator. If he had had a tail visible at the moment it would have been flicking clear in annoyance.

Where the hell are you?

The text was sent and on its way before Zhao had thought it through. He stared at his phone's screen in horror for a stunned moment. Then he decided to hell with it, he was scared and angry and worried that his oni was doing either something stupid or in some sort of trouble or both. What he texted wasn't so important as that he get a damn answer. And soon before he flew out the window and torn this town to pieces.

Comments

[hikae]

Zhao's patience was being tested. The text has not received an answer for much longer than just few heavy heartbeats. Seconds passed. Then, minutes. But when it got close to the moment of breaking point, when the moment when Zhao would storm off approached, that's when the cellphone pinged a text.

1st, doll, r u OK?

Count on Majima to type out the endearment, but shorten everything else in the message. Immediately after this one comes a second.

2nd, some shit's might be going down. stay put

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

Zhao stared at his phone in disbelief. Sometimes the gall on his oni... he swore, out loud, and started to type a reply.

Am I ok!? I'm sitting here wondering where the hell you are and you ask

The message was cut short. It only sent because Zhao accidentally hit the enter button when the next message arrived and sent him into a panic.

What do you mean stay put? Where the hell are you? Forget it, I'm coming to you. YOU stay put.

Zhao was out the door before the message even arrived on Majima's phone a second later. It was hard for him to focus, but this was his territory, his domain, and he could find anything he wanted within its borders so long as he willed it.

[hikae]

No! Keep yer pretty ass at yer palace. Don't worry, the fight might just yet come to y

The text was sent but clearly incomplete. Something, someone got to keep the oni busy for a moment. With this whole area being dragon's own domain it was no brainer that Zhao could locate him, them. Probably. Most likely.

Shit. It warmed his heart knowing that cavalry was coming, that Zhao was willing to drop everything and come to his aid. He'd do the same, his modus operandi— but it was still strangely uplifting to have that offered to him.

There was no time for the warm and fuzzy feeling, instead, he cut down the danger quickly, efficiently. And without even cleaning the blade, there he was furiously typing into the cellphone.

Ya make me feel all fluffy and soft and maybe I even like it. But I'm almost certain drawing ya out is what's the big plan here.

And I don't like giving fuckers like these what they want. Especially when it's you

The mageraft trick to cover his own track was kind of hard to pull off when he was in the middle of fight. Besides— he wanted to be found, he wanted to keep the attention on himself. So, if that's not on the table, what else he could do?

Keep moving.

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

Too late because Zhao was already outside and on his way to Majima. However, he was on foot and still processing the lay of his domain, searching its entirety, and seeking out Majima's presence within it.

If he couldn't easily find Majima, he could always switch to looking for other types. A large group causing a mess shouldn't be too hard to find in this city.

Zhao's lips quirked at Majima's second text. Warm and fluffy indeed. Majima would never believe that he did the same for Zhao whenever he spoke like that.

But he couldn't get distracted. Majima was in trouble.

You're cute. I'm on the move. I don't give a shit what these people want, they're playing with fire. No one touches my oni and gets away with it but me. You hear?

He had the utter confidence that he could take them, whoever they were, anyway. Besides, he had to lay down the law. He may not like it, but he was in charge. If he wanted to keep the peace, that was the way it had to be, and he was going to step up.

[hikae]

Stubborn. Stubborn. Majima wasn't sure whether he was more exasperated by how utterly uncooperative the dragon was, or impressed by the sheer dedication. Leaned towards the latter, the phrase "my oni" did thrum the right strings in his soul.

Still, if he can't change Zhao's mind, he might simply— try and take care of the problem before the dragon reaches him

stubborn stubborn.

come and get me then ❤️

And he fell right into the group that tried to stalk him and got their hunt reversed. Not made up of rookies like last time, this one was going to be tougher. But he had the surprise, superior speed, and oni's bloodlust on his advantage.

At least he found out they had weapon capable of harming those like them.

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

And so he did. Zhao moved through the city streets quickly once he was certain of Majima's location within his domain. An unnatural speed quickened by magic and a dragon's innate ability. He was still careful, too, not letting anyone see him. At least it was easier this time of night. A little more magic didn't hurt to keep him hard to spot either.

Zhao heard the fighting before he saw it. Around the corner before him, he could make out the sounds of flesh hitting flesh and groans of the fallen. But then another sound took him by surprise--that of sizzling, followed by the smell of burning flesh. Not natural. Not natural. His pace quickened and he skidded round the corner at unbelievable speed.

There was blood and paper scattered everywhere. The blood was expected, the remnants of paper talismans not so much. It explained the arid texture of the air in the alleyway. Magic searing its way through the area, pinning and burning, driving its prey. Hurting.

With an angry growl the dragon leapt into the fray. He was fresh and unharmed from the fight, entering the battle without hesitation nor restriction. The talismans wouldn't effect this beast. They were meant more for types like... like Majima. Oni. Malicious youkai. Demons. Darker creatures. They wouldn't effect a dragon unless their heart was truly dark.

The talismans weren't the only thing the hunters had on them that hurt supernatural creatures though. He smelt another thing in the air. Heard the faint crackling. Felt the electrical thrum in his chest. Funnily enough, it called to him. He saw the magical weapon move towards Majima and was there in an instant--the baton clenched firmly in his hand. Electricity sparked down his arm, sparks flying where they met with his jewelry. Zhao wasn't the least phased.

He bared his teeth at the hunter wielding the weapon. "That's mine." He growled with an indication of his head at Majima behind him.

He yanked the magical weapon out of the human's hand and tossed it away, it's charge spent on the dragon that was not effected by elements of the storm. Electricity was his domain, and it barely tickled when it ran across his skin even as a human. In the next instant--all hell broke loose as everyone acted at once, the fight escalating now that the dragon had arrived.

[hikae]

Zhao's entry was incredible. Here comes the Dragon. If this were a movie it surely would be adorned with a piece of fitting epic music, the audience would cheer, everyone at the very edge of their seats. But it was not a movie, it didn't make Zhao any less impressive, but everything came with a caveat of being all very real. No audience to cheer aside for him. The burns of the talismans still searing— it's but a flesh wound. And of course—

The imminent threat.

Yokohama was seemingly a perfect little place, keeping its balance, keeping peace with several very efficient very simple rules. Both in the world of men and in the world of supernatural— but the first one has already been shaken out of its fragile balance, the scales tipped, the setup changed. If this was the start of something similar happening to the world of nonmen— he'd rather kill all the intruders. To send a message. A "don't fuck with Yokohama".

Getting attached, aren't you? Always, always getting attached, for a cause, for a person, for something bigger and brighter— But now, there's attachment right back. "That's mine" Zhao said, and the one was getting drunk on it. There was a certain power in declaring someone as a belonging, a possessiveness he had known all too well— so that was how it felt being on the receiving end of it.

Exhilariating.

It shouldn't be, by all means, for Majima always longed for freedom, and always rattled the chains, bit on the leashes that held him back. But there's a huge difference between a forced submission, and having the freedom to submit willingly.

With a manic green, he wiped the blood from his arm with the flat side of his knife. Now, the blade decorated red with oni's blood didn't need much more, a whispered spell only, to become something far more deadly - covered with poison. And among the lightning flashes and screams (orders, surprises, panic) it found the first of the hunters that dared, blasphemously, to focus on Zhao.

[essenceofdeadlybeasts]

Zhao might have ordered the poison off-limits had he noticed its placement, or cared at the moment, but the humans before him had his attention and not in a good way. They had pissed him off. Normally he would try to spare them, reprimand them, demand their respect to his law once he had proven what he was to them. He didn't really care today. No one was getting away with attacking one of his own this night.

"Wrong move," he growled lowly as one of the hunters came at him sloppily. The dragon side-stepped smoothly and counter-attacked in one swift movement.

He didn't really notice the oni behind him, beside him, always right where he needed to be while Zhao's attention was focused elsewhere. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was aware that his flank was being protected, knew it was the oni keeping track of everything and taking care to keep unwanted opponents from him. He knew he was safe to do as he pleased.

So he continued to fight the ones in front of him. They were easy prey. They thought their little toys would help them win the battle but most of them only served to piss the dragon off further. They really didn't get it! They hadn't figured out who, or what he was!

They would by the time he was finished with them, or they would regret their actions when they reached the gates to hell.